Fan shutter device

ABSTRACT

A fan shutter device includes a frame, multiple slats and multiple sleeves. The frame has a first side and a second side, each of which is formed with multiple assembling channels, multiple fixing holes and multiple displacement slots. Each slat has two extension sections and a connection shaft. Each of two ends of the connection shaft is formed with a connection socket. Each sleeve has a pivot pin and a sleeve section. The pivot pin is assembled and connected in the connection socket. Multiple fixing members are respectively passed through the fixing holes to directly fix the sleeves so that the first and second sides are prevented from deforming in assembling process. The slats are spaced from the frame by a gap without abrading with or interfering with the frame. The extension sections are disposed in the displacement slots, which restrict the rotational angle of the slats.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a fan shutter device, which will not deform in assembling process. The slats of the fan shutter device are spaced from the frame by a gap, whereby the slats can smoothly rotate without abrading with or interfering with the frame. Also, the manufacturing cost of the fan shutter device is lower than that of the conventional device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Currently, electronic industries rapidly develop and the performance of various electronic components is continuously enhanced. Therefore, the operation/processing speed of the electronic components has become faster and faster. Moreover, the operation speed of the internal chipsets of the electronic components is continuously increased and the number of the chips is continuously increased. As a result, the heat generated by the chips in operation has become higher and higher. In the case that the heat is not quickly dissipated in time, the performance of the electronic components will be greatly affected and the operation speed of the electronic components will be lowered. In some more serious cases, the electronic components may crash or even burn out due to high heat. Accordingly, it has become a critical topic how to efficiently dissipate the heat generated by the electronic components. In general, a cooling fan is often used to dissipate the heat.

A conventional axial-flow fan includes a fan frame and a fan impeller. The fan impeller is rotatably connected in the fan frame. In operation, the fan impeller of the axial-flow fan is forward rotated in the fan frame to blow air from one side of the fan impeller to the other side so as to dissipate the heat generated by a heat generation component on the other side. The cooling fan is often applied to a personal computer, a server or the like system/apparatus for bringing out the heat generated by the internal electronic components of the system. However, in practice, such kind of cooling fan often encounters backflow problem. That is, when the fan fails or is not operated, the external airflow will flow back into the system through the fan. This leads to unstableness of the flow field in the system. To solve the backflow problem of the fan, many manufacturers have developed various airflow check devices such as a currently often seen shutter-like windshield structure. A cooling fan including a fan main body is disclosed. A shutter is mounted on the wind outlet face of the fan main body. The shutter includes a frame and multiple shutter slats. Each shutter slat has two protrusions at two ends for directly fitting in and assembling with the shaft holes formed on the frame. When the fan main body rotates, a pressure is created to push open the shutter slats. When the fan main body stops rotating, the shutter slats are suspended due to gravity. In the suspended state, the shutter slats are located by the bosses on the frame. However, when the protrusions of two ends of shutter slat are fitted in the shaft holes of the frame, the frame is likely to deform. Moreover, the end faces of the shutter slat will abrade with and interfere with the inner wall of the frame to increase the resistance against opening of the shutter slat. As a result, the shutter slats can be hardly smoothly opened. Furthermore, the bosses of the frame for locating the shutter slats are disposed on inner sides of the frame. The cost of the mold for forming the bosses is high.

According to the above, the conventional cooling fan has the following shortcomings:

-   -   1. The frame is likely to deform and the shutter slats can be         hardly smoothly opened.     -   2. The end faces of the shutter slat will abrade with and         interfere with the inner wall of the frame.     -   3. The cost of the mold is high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a fan shutter device, which will not deform in assembling process. The slats of the fan shutter device are spaced from the frame by a gap, whereby the slats can smoothly rotate without abrading with or interfering with the frame. Also, the manufacturing cost of the fan shutter device is lower than that of the conventional device.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the above fan shutter device, in which the rotational angle of the slats is restricted so that the slats can be opened by a fixed angle.

To achieve the above and other objects, the fan shutter device of the present invention includes a frame, multiple slats and multiple sleeves. The frame has a first side and a second side. An inlet and an outlet are respectively formed on two faces of the frame. Each of the first and second sides is formed with multiple assembling channels, multiple fixing holes and multiple displacement slots. The slats are disposed between the inlet and the outlet. Each slat has two extension sections at two ends and a connection shaft on one side. The extension sections are oppositely disposed in the displacement slots. Each of two ends of the connection shaft is formed with a connection socket. The sleeves are assembled with the connection sockets. Each sleeve has a pivot pin and a sleeve section. The pivot pin is assembled and connected in the connection socket. The sleeve sections are positioned in the assembling channels. Multiple fixing members are respectively passed through the fixing holes and connected with the sleeve sections. The fixing members are passed through the fixing holes to directly fix the sleeves so that the first and second sides are prevented from deforming in assembling process. The slats are pivotally assembled with the sleeves and spaced from the frame by a gap, whereby the slats can smoothly rotate without abrading with or interfering with the frame. Also, the manufacturing cost is lowered. In addition, the extension sections are disposed in the displacement slots, which restrict the rotational angle of the slats. Accordingly, the slats can be opened by a fixed angle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective assembled view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partially sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the application of the present invention in one state; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the application of the present invention in another state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. FIG. 1 is a perspective assembled view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a partially sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the drawings, the fan shutter device 1 of the present invention includes a frame 2, multiple slats 3 and multiple sleeves 4.

The frame 2 has a first side 21 and a second side 22. An inlet 26 and an outlet 27 are respectively formed on two faces of the frame 2. A passage 28 is defined between the inlet 26 and the outlet 27. Each of the first and second sides 21, 22 is formed with multiple assembling channels 23, multiple fixing holes 24 and multiple displacement slots 25. The assembling channels 23, fixing holes 24 and displacement slots 25 on the first and second sides 21, 22 are horizontally aligned with each other. The fixing holes 24 pass through the first and second sides 21, 22 in communication with the assembling channels 23. To speak more specifically, the fixing holes 24 communicate with rear ends of the assembling grooves 23. The displacement slots 25 are sector-shaped.

The slats 3 are disposed in the passage 28 between the inlet 26 and the outlet 27. Each slat 3 has two extension sections 31 at two ends and a connection shaft 32 on one side. The extension sections 31 are oppositely disposed in the displacement slots 25. Each of two ends of the connection shaft 32 is formed with a connection socket 321.

The sleeves 4 are assembled with the connection sockets 321. Each sleeve 4 has a pivot pin 41 and a sleeve section 42. The pivot pin 41 is assembled and connected in the connection socket 321. The sleeve sections 42 are placed into the assembling channels 23 of the first and second sides 21, 22. Accordingly, the sleeve sections 42 are oppositely disposed at the rear ends of the assembling channels 23 in alignment with the fixing holes 24. Multiple fixing members 43 are respectively passed through the fixing holes 24 and connected with the sleeve sections 42.

Please now refer to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the application of the present invention in one state. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the application of the present invention in another state. The fan shutter device 1 is assembled with a fan 5. The fan 5 is assembled with the frame 2. When the fan 5 is not operated, the slats 3 are suspended due to gravity to shut down the passage 28. At this time, the pivot pins 41 of the sleeves 4 are pivotally fitted in the connection sockets 321 of two ends of the connection shaft 32 of the slats 3. The pivot pin 41 has a length larger than a length of the internal space of the connection socket 321. In addition, the sleeve section 42 protrudes from the assembling channel 23. The fixing member 43 is passed through the fixing hole 24 and assembled with the sleeve section 42. Accordingly, the connection shaft 32 is located between the first and second sides 21, 22 and spaced from the first and second sides 21, 22 by a gap.

When the fan 5 operates, the airflow is guided from the inlet 26 of the fan 5 into the passage 28. At this time, the airflow flows onto the slats 3 to push open the slats 3.

When the slats 3 are pushed by the airflow, the slats 3 will rotate around the connection shafts 32. As aforesaid, the pivot pins 41 of the sleeves 4 are pivotally fitted in the connection sockets 321 of the connection shaft 32 and the length of the pivot pin 41 is larger than the length of the internal space of the connection socket 321 and the sleeve section 42 protrudes from the assembling channel 23. The fixing members 43 are passed through the fixing holes 24 and assembled with the sleeve sections 42. Accordingly, the connection shafts 32 are located between the first and second sides 21, 22 and spaced from the first and second sides 21, 22 by a gap. Therefore, the slats 3 are spaced from the first and second sides 21, 22 by a gap. In this case, when the slats 3 are rotated around the connection shafts 32, the slats 3 will not abrade with or interfere with the first and second sides 21, 22. Moreover, the sleeves 4, the fixing holes 24 and the fixing members 43 are coaxial with each other so that the fixing members 43 can be conveniently assembled with the sleeves 4 and the first and second sides 21, 22 are prevented from deforming in assembling process. In addition, the cost for the mold can be lowered.

Furthermore, the two ends of the slat 3 have the extension sections 31, which are correspondingly disposed in the displacement slots 25. The displacement slots 25 are sector-shaped. When the slats 3 are pushed by the airflow to rotate around the connection shafts 32, the displacement slots 25 restrict the rotational angle of the slats 3. Accordingly, the slats 3 can be opened by a fixed angle. According to the above arrangement, the fixing members 43 are passed through the fixing holes 24 to directly fix the sleeves 4 so that the first and second sides 21, 22 are prevented from deforming in assembling process. The slats 3 are pivotally assembled with the sleeves 4 and spaced from the frame 2 by a gap, whereby the slats 3 can smoothly rotate without abrading with or interfering with the frame 2. Also, the manufacturing cost is lowered. In addition, the extension sections 31 are disposed in the displacement slots 25, which restrict the rotational angle of the slats 3. Accordingly, the slats 3 can be opened by a fixed angle.

In conclusion, the fan shutter device 1 of the present invention is applicable to a fan to overcome the shortcomings of the conventional device.

The present invention has been described with the above embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the above embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A fan shutter device for assembling with a fan, the fan shutter device comprising: a frame having a first side and a second side, an inlet and an outlet being respectively formed on two faces of the frame, each of the first and second sides being formed with multiple assembling channels, multiple fixing holes and multiple displacement slots; multiple slats disposed between the inlet and the outlet, each slat having a connection shaft on one side, each of two ends of the connection shaft being formed with a connection socket; and multiple sleeves, each sleeve having a pivot pin and a sleeve section, the pivot pin being assembled and connected in the connection socket, the sleeve sections being positioned in the assembling channels, multiple fixing members being respectively passed through the fixing holes and connected with the sleeve sections.
 2. The fan shutter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a passage is formed between the inlet and the outlet and the slats are disposed in the passage.
 3. The fan shutter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing holes pass through the first and second sides in communication with the assembling channels.
 4. The fan shutter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing holes communicate with rear ends of the assembling grooves.
 5. The fan shutter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displacement slots are sector-shaped.
 6. The fan shutter device as claimed in claim 5, wherein each slat has two extension sections at two ends respectively, the extension sections being oppositely disposed in the displacement slots. 